


In the Ground

by myfivemeters



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Rating May Change, Violence, dystopian setting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-28
Updated: 2014-11-26
Packaged: 2018-02-19 03:54:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2373536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myfivemeters/pseuds/myfivemeters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Humanity has been forced underground by the Great War. Hundreds of years after they fled, their society thrives on status and the young that give their lives to train for the people. Lovino Vargas has only ever wanted to see the Above-but when he does, secrets arise and feelings for a poor boy surface. [Rating is subject to change on the arrival of explicit content.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Green Eyes and a Black Cloak

**Author's Note:**

> This is kinda Attack on Titan? I drew inspiration from that stuff and a couple of books I guess. I had to use a few words from SNK because there are literally no other words I can use. There aren't any titans though. If there's stuff you don't really understand just ask and yeah. I have no idea when this will update honestly, because I'm coming up on my midterm exams so yah. I'm gonna shoot for a lot of chapters but who knows.
> 
> I don't own Hetalia.

I scrunch my nose in disgust. This part of the Underground smells terrible—this is where those too poor to live in the Center are. Yet, I make the journey everyday. To see  _him._ At first it was just for the information. The secrets he carried in the leather-bound book, worn by time and the number of hands that have flipped through the thinning pages. But now...I don't know.

Several stare at me still, no matter how long I've been coming here. Maybe it's because of my official cadet jacket I received a couple days ago. Marked by this brown cloth, which is very hard to come by these days, especially since the growers' faction has been slow these past years, I am of higher status. I am rich. I have been through the correct training to protect the citizens of the Underground and scout the area of the Above.

I could kill anyone of them in a second, even if I am only 14.

I finally reach the spot I have been walking towards. The muddy, plastic tent in the corner of what we call the Sewers.

"Antonio?" I say in a hushed whisper. Silence, and then the sound of plastic wrinkling.  _He_ appears—the devil with the curly brown locks and green eyes that most would kill for, since there are only the rare few that have this special gene. His tan skin is muddy again, and I know that on any other day, I'd soon have to take him somewhere to get him cleaned up, if I were actually staying for that to be possible. He smiles the minute he sees me, and my heart thumps a bit faster.

"Hi Lovino!" He greets. I cannot help but smile. Antonio has almost always been happy, although I'm never sure why, since tragedy's seemed to hit him the hardest. "Today's the day, huh?" I nod, feeling my stomach twist in the familiar anxiety that has plagued me the past couple of days. Today is the day, and I will have to choose what to do with my training. Will I join the Service, who patrol the Underground? Will I be apart of the Royal Guard, who give arm and leg to protect the President and her family in her pristine castle? Or will I join the Scouts, who look for habitable life on the surface? My heart longs to explore the Above, to feel 'wind' on my skin or see the fabled sunlight. They taught us briefly about it in school, but not enough to sate my burning desire to know more. There are several problems with my passion. My family, for one. They are one of the higher regarded clans in this society, and they'd rather have me in the Royal Guard, so I'd have it 'in' with our leader. Another—probably the one that has weighed on my conscious the most, since I could care less about my parents—is the prospect of leaving Antonio behind. He does not have enough money to go through training. He is doomed to live his life in the Sewers, because that is where he was born. Being honest, I would be shunned if I was seen with him. But I can't help it. There is something about this teenager that makes it so I never want to leave him behind.

"Yep," is all I manage to say. Suddenly I remember the gift I brought for him. Hopefully it is not squashed. I gingerly take the red fruit out of my pocket and hold it up for him to see. His face lights up even further.

"For me?" I nod and he hesitantly takes it from my hand. "How did you get one of these? I thought that the growers were behind in production." I swallow hard.

"My family...we get the best no matter how low in stock it is." Talking about my social status makes me burn with shame. I hate being born where I was. I hate the society we live in. It's full of prejudice and hate all because you just weren't born to the right family. Why must it be this way?

"Oh," Antonio says carefully, seeing the pained my expression is. "Thank you, Lovi." I nod again. Normally, if it were anyone but him, I would berate him for calling me that and possibly snap one of his fingers off.

"So, what's the lesson today?" I ask. This has been going on since I started cadet training when I was 12. It started when I saw him being beaten up by the corrupt Service. Three of them ended up in the hospital, and one nearly died.

We've been friends ever since.

And then he showed me the book—the one passed down in his family, all the way from his first ancestor who made it down here after the fateful 'Great War'. It seems unsuspecting. But if we were found with that in our possession, we would be publicly executed with treason. The President wouldn't want people finding out about the Above. This is another reason why I'm a little uneasy about joining the Scouts. Nobody makes it back.

Although somehow, I don't think it's because of the radiation.

"I was thinking we'd do some history. Or do you want science?" He's already busying himself with getting the book out.

"What's...science?" The only thing we've ever talked about is what the outside was like before the War, and minor history before that, like the things that led up to the great conflict that forced us down into the ground, where we slaved to make a place for humanity until it was safe for us to go back up. I get the feeling, though, that with the rate things are going, we'll never make it.

"It's amazing. It explains how everything came to be, and why certain things do stuff. They didn't teach you in school?" No, they didn't. The only things they teach us are basic things. Math. The history of the Underground. Why poor people should be eradicated, because they do nothing for society. They hurt the system of hierarchy. I don't tell Antonio this. Not because it would scare him, but because it would further kindle the fire of rebellion in his body. He, like me, hates the system. On days where his happiness runs short, he rants about what he would do if he just had a little money. I don't mean to belittle his problems, but unlike his thinking, the rich have plenty of problems. I, for one, deal with a certain type of pressure that he just doesn't have in the Sewers.

Of course, I've always been told I'm especially selfish, so maybe I am belittling his problems.

"I think...maybe we should hold off on a lesson. I choose today and I-" I swallow, because suddenly the smell is making me dizzy and I feel like I'm not getting enough air. "I want to spend my last day with you. Let's just...talk. About anything. Everything," I finish quietly. He smiles softly and nods.

"Alright. What are you choosing?" Right to the point. He spreads out a sheet of relatively clean plastic and pats the spot next to him. I slowly sit down, hoping that the room will stop spinning soon.

"I...I don't know." That's a lie. I just can't bear to say it out loud.

"You're lying, Lovino," he murmurs. Antonio has always had this way of understanding me, even when the smartest of people can't. "It's alright. You can tell me."

"I want to join the Scouts," I blurt. An expression of hurt flashes on his face before it's covered up quickly. "But I..." The walls are closing in. I grasp his hand. I need an anchor to the real world. "I don't want to leave you, Antonio, because without you, the surface seems meaningless." There is a silence. Not because he is taking in information. He knows that I need to calm down before anything will get through to me. I can see clearly now, after sitting for a while. "I don't know what I feel for you. I haven't had the time to sort it out. But I know that whatever you are to me, I can't bear the thought of never seeing you again."

"I know," he whispers. "It's alright, Lovi. I know that whatever we are for each other, it was intended to happen. We were supposed to meet. The Fates designed us to feel for each other. And even if it hurts me for you to go, I just  _know_ we're destined to meet again." I sit there absorbing his words and appreciating the solace that they offer. I decide that we need to veer off this topic, because I don't want the last thing I remember of him to be sadness.

"How come you can say deep shit like that when just the other day you compared my face to a tomato?" He laughs and even I crack a smile in my panicked state.

"There's the Lovi I know." The rest of our time is spent laughing and joking, trying to get my impending departure off of our minds. My time is up, though, because I can hear the Center's bell chime. I look over at him, trying to imprint his face to my memory.

"I guess this is...g-goodbye," is all I can say before the salty tears spring up in my eyes. I feel his arms around me, comforting me. I am so selfish. Everything is about me. Why? Why did we have to be born in this universe?

"I want to give you something." I pull away and wipe at my face. I watch as he slides his necklace off.

"No, I can't take that." I know now that I must at least mean something to Antonio, because that is his prized possession. It is his cross necklace, with worn brown string. He is the only one—at least to my knowledge—that believes in this higher power. He spent many days explaining it to me, and I know that it is so important to him. I try to push it away, but he slips it around my neck.

"Something to remember me by." Suddenly I wish I had brought something that would last through time, unlike a stupid tomato. But maybe I did.

"I have a gift for you too." The words stumble out of my mouth. I take a deep breath and press my lips to his.

At first, Antonio stiffens, but quickly grabs at my shirt and pulls me closer. Why haven't I done this before? I want to freeze this moment in time. But this cannot last forever. He knows this, because soon he pulls away. I stare into those precious green eyes.

"Something to remember me by," I whisper. I stand. "I'll never forget you, Antonio Fernandez Carriedo."

"And you, Lovino Vargas." And with that, I walk away from the best thing that has ever happened to me, the warmth of his lips still lingering on mine.

* * *

The Square is filled with people, although the very middle is cleared for the graduates. My heart aches. I know that they will call each of our names, and I will have to choose the uniform of the division I want to be in. I'm already feeling claustrophobic, and the people around me aren't helping. All of these people, like me, are only 14. We're just kids, and yet we are forced to live this nightmare of responsibility. I think of my brother Feliciano, who is only a year younger than me. If he weren't considered 'mentally unstable' he'd be joining. Unfortunately, the President sees creativity as something that needs to be squashed. He'll spend these next two years doing a different kind of training—training to be a politician, because that's our family's position. I hate this place. It's all about status. They believe that certain traits run in your blood. That's why they don't take the poor people and force them to do these things; they want the soldiers to feel pampered so they'll never want to leave when they get the chance.

I glance up at the clock tower. We'll be standing here for another hour before we get to file into the square. I feel my mind drift off to a conversation Antonio and I had, from what seems like a lifetime ago.

" _Antonio?"_

" _Yes?"_

" _If you had the chance to run away, would you?"_

" _Depends."_

" _On what?"_

" _On who would be with me."_

" _W-What if it was me?"_

" _I'd do it in a heartbeat."_

My stomach clenches. What would I give to be in a world other than this? To be in a place where Antonio and I could live 'happily ever after' like in all those children stories? I'd give just about anything, really. Suddenly I can feel his lips on mine again and my heart feels like its been shot. Why me?

"Attention!" My arms are immediately at my sides. My posture is stick straight. "In a few minutes, you will choose what division you will honor the Underground in. Choose wisely. That is all." Had I really been spacing out for that long? It seemed that just a few seconds ago I was walking towards the Sewers...

Would life be easier if I had been born into the Greenhouse instead of the Center? I wouldn't be feeling this intense anxiety, that's for sure. My stomach was twisting and my mind was swirling with dark thoughts. I know what I will choose, though, so I'm not sure why I'm so anxious.

_Yes, you do,_ my conscious tells me. I do know why. For one, I'll be disappointing my parents by not joining the Royal Guard—although I could care less, really. Then it's Feliciano. He may be annoying, but he's my brother, and I will miss him. My mind screeches to a stop when I reach the third reason. It's blatantly obvious. Antonio. My head is swimming. I can barely see. I can almost hear his voice telling me to calm down, and his hands rubbing small circles into my back. I calm down a little.

The clock tower is chiming, and we are moving forward in the formation we've practiced. I'm in the back, of course, so I will have to wait until the end of the ceremony. An introductory speech is given by President Bellamy, whose accent makes it hard to pay attention—she must know a language other than English. French, probably. All languages other than English are kept within your family. Once she finishes about the importance of our youth and the fact we are the best of the best because of our heritage, the crowd applauds. The whole population is here; the only ones not are the people who work to keep the electricity running and the poor. I'm thankful, though, that I was not born to the electricians. They spend years learning secret information, and they work until they die.

Of course, I must do the same, but at least my job doesn't confuse me.

Our class's leader is now on stage. I hate him. Captain Beilschmidt ran us into the ground. His little brother, Ludwig—who I hate just as much—is a year behind me. It's rumored that he can kill anyone in under a second. I doubt it, seeing as the guy acts like he wouldn't even step on a bug.

"Welcome, citizens of the Underground," he says in his German accent. "This is the 207 graduating group of cadets. It was a pleasure training them-"  _Bullshit._ "-and I believe that they will be able to protect us valiantly and efficiently." He begins to read the names. I watch as the majority pick the Service—they are often given larger food portions. The only ones allowed to join the Royal Guard were the 'elders'. They had stayed for an extra year of training. Although I did not, I am the top of the class, and my options are wide. "...And finally, highest-ranking cadet, Lovino Vargas." I walk up and look at the hooded cloaks. The red is for the Royal Guard. Green for the Service. Black for the Scouts. I can hear my father's voice in my head, telling me to take the red one. My family is watching right now, in the roped off area for the politicians and rich. But then I hear Antonio, telling me to follow my passion. Before I know it, I am grasping the black cloak, and I swing it around my shoulders. There is a collective gasp. Captain Beilschmidt walks up and pins the medal on my new uniform, a strange gleam in his eyes.  _You made the right choice,_ they seem to say.

It is customary for the top-ranking cadet to give a speech. I walk up to the podium. There are still varied murmurs, probably wondering why I would've chosen the division that only those with a death wish choose. "Citizens," my voice rings out. I must be very loud, because they are all silenced. I take a deep breath. I'm surprised I haven't collapsed yet. I glance over to my family. My mother's eyes are widened in surprise. She was the lesser of two evils; she agreed with my father, but I remember the night she pulled me to the side, telling me to follow my heart.

Unfortunately, if I had really followed my heart, I wouldn't be standing in front of this crowd.

My father, however, has his eyes narrowed.  _You are a disappointment,_ they say. I could really care less, but it still hurts to see my own flesh and blood practically disowning me. Feliciano is smiling wide. Once our gazes meet, he gives me a thumbs-up, and I almost laugh.

"A lot of you must be wondering why I chose the Scouts, when I could've been anything that I wanted." The crowd nods. "Have you ever been in love?" I have their attention now. "Do you know what it feels like to long for something so bad that it tears at your insides? The pain of the prospect of never seeing them?" You could hear a pin drop now. I have struck a deep emotion. "That's how I feel about the Above. We hear about it briefly for all of our lives. I have a burning curiosity to see the unknown. And I..." I swallow. My hands are starting to shake. "...I feel this for a person, too. It's hard for me to stand up here and take my rightful place in my new division, knowing that I will never see them again. But they were the one to tell me to follow my passion. That we were meant to meet again." There are tears welling up in my eyes. "That's why I joined."

Before I walk away, I see a flash of emerald eyes in the crowd.

* * *

As I walk with those who had chosen the Scouts—which is a whopping three cadets—my mind works to figure out what I had seen. There aren't many with green eyes like that, and the only person that I know of is Antonio. How did he get to the square? Was that even him? My feet carry me even when my head is a jumbled mess. As far as I know, we are heading to the headquarters for further specialized training before we head out into the unknown. The large bulbs that light up the city are already dimming.

We reach the headquarters quickly and I'm directed to my temporary living quarters. I suddenly feel so tired, like I haven't slept in years. As soon as my head hits the pillow, I am asleep.

I dream of green eyes and soft lips.

 


	2. Training, Presidents, and Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh, Lovino. You're so wise for only being a child. Why would I kill you? I already said you would make a good soldier. No, I won't kill you. You will be my example. An example of what happens to people who think that they have a chance to change something."
> 
> “And cadet? Tell your green-eyed friend that if he steps out of the Sewers again, he won't live to see another day.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okie dokie artichokie chapter two! Please excuse any typos or things like that. This one's a bit shorter, but I didn't want to try and fit the next part into this one. Hmm, I don't exactly know when I'll be able to update next because my play performance is coming up, and then my birthday, and then my cousin's wedding so yeah.

I wake up and immediately begin to dress. My body is on a rigid schedule after years of training from dawn until dusk. There are clothes laid out for me already, and a small mirror is propped on the wall. I glance at my reflection and hesitantly touch the cross that still hangs on my neck. I stand like that for a few seconds before continuing to dress in the selected uniform.

 

I exit the room and make my way to the dining hall—you'd think that I wouldn't know where it was, but most of these houses are modeled exactly the same, and minutes later I find myself in the eating quarters. I am the first one here, which almost surprises me. I sit at a random spot and carefully select food. Some of the dishes make me wrinkle my nose. Since my family is of Italian descent, we tend to be a bit pickier about our foods. I know for a fact that my mother would be having a fit looking at some of the food I am being served. I almost agree, but then I see Antonio's face light up at only a slice of bread and I immediately shut those thoughts down.

 

One by one, the other two cadets who had chosen the Scouts filter in. Our authorities arrive, also, and soon our breakfast is over. Servants come and take our plates, and I wait in silence for the day's instructions.

 

A man with tan skin and brown hair—almost like Antonio's, but definitely darker—clears his throat. “Welcome. My name is Captain Adnan,” he says with a very heavy accent. “Today is your initial evaluation. We will test you and see what skill is your specialized area. We will also determine your aptitude for solving problems and what areas you need to work on.” The man beside him stands up. He's got green eyes, too, which makes me think that maybe it was him I saw last night. I take a closer look, though, and see that they're definitely different. He has almost shoulder length brown hair with odd frizz that sticks out. He, too, clears his throat to speak.

 

“My name is Lieutenant Karpusi, and I will assist Captain Adnan in your training.” He speaks in a soft lilt, but there's this way that his gaze shifts across the room that tells me this man isn't to be trusted. “If you'll follow me, I will escort you to the main training room.” He turns curtly and walks out of the room. I stand up and follow, the other cadets trailing behind me. We reach the room shortly. It's a vast space with various equipment in it, like targets for archery and dummies for sparring practice. Lieutenant Karpusi shortly explains to go to each category, preferably ending with the one that we are most skilled in.

 

I make my way around the room, trying each station. I'm not really bad at anything, as I graduated at the top of the class. Finally, I stop at the throwing knife station. I feel a cold smirk tug at my lips, and this animalistic urge take over my muscles. I quickly examine the knives that have been provided. They're a bit larger than I would like, but I take them anyways and stand about 20 meters away from the target—which is shaped like a human. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and begin.

 

In less than ten seconds, all of the knives are firmly lodged in all vital points; there are two in the head, two in the throat, and one down to the hilt in the heart. Satisfaction floods my body, but all of the sudden the only thing I can see is Antonio, impaled by knives thrown by my hand, and I feel like I'm going to be sick. The wood of the cross necklace feels like it is burning into my skin.

 

“That's some talent ya've got there kid,” a voice from behind me says. I suppress the urge to flinch and I slowly turn around to see Captain Adnan. “Where did ya learn it?”

 

“None of your business,” I snap. He smirks and quickly maneuvers me into a hold, almost making it so I can't breath.

 

“I'm going to ask you again, newbie. Where did you learn that?” His breath smells terrible and his manhandling makes my blood boil. I know that defying my authorities will have severe consequences, but I do it anyways. Soon, my foot is at his throat and he lays on the ground beneath me. His eyes are alight with amusement and I actually consider crushing his jugular with my heel. I sigh, realizing that this will get me nowhere, and remove my foot. He gets up and cracks his back before turning to me again.

 

“If you ever do that to an authority again, I will personally see to it that you are exiled to the sewers.” My gaze narrows and before I can stop myself, I bite out a retort.

 

“That wouldn't really be so bad,” I hiss. “At least I wouldn't be stuck with people who revel in false security.” Captain Adnan raises his eyebrows before laughing.

 

“You would've been a good soldier, Vargas. If only you hadn't willingly picked this hellhole of a division.” He turns and walks away to observe the other two cadets finish up their last section. I clench my fists and walk towards the target, ripping the knives out and placing back on the table. I follow everyone out as we go back to the dining room for lunch. Lieutenant Karpusi looks at me from behind his shoulder and I can't help but remember the green eyes that looked at me just yesterday.

 

* * *

 

 

The past few weeks have been grueling. The captain has been pounding every skill into us, and I swear I can do it all in my sleep now. This is the last week, so I suppose that we'll be doing our final testing. Captain Adnan doesn't really tell us things until the day of; this makes me a little angry, growing up in a place where the next year was planned out down to the minute.

 

The other cadets, though, are enjoyable. One of them is a quiet boy by the name of Matthew, who excels in spears. It's amazing to watch him go from a gentle person to one of a mindless killer. The other one is a pretty girl by the name of Eva. She's like Matthew, gentle and sweet, but the minute you put a gun in her hands, she's ruthless. She tells me her brother taught her, a long time ago before he died of a lung disease. Used air isn't for everyone, I suppose.

 

It's going to be terrible, knowing that we probably won't make it back here alive.

 

We're chatting now, waiting for our authorities to arrive for breakfast. The three of us have noticed that Lieutenant Karpusi and Captain Adnan don't really like each other—at least when there are people around. It's not a secret that they're having an affair, but we figure that mentioning this will probably land us in non-stop running.

 

The door opens and the captain enters, followed by the lieutenant. Our conversation falls silent and we look at them for the day's directions. Adnan clears his throat, which I've realized is from smoking. I know what that does to you, and I don't understand why you would willingly try to throw your life away.

 

“We've been pushing you real hard these past weeks, so take the day off. Go visit your family, do whatever. I don't care,” he yawns. I almost smirk, seeing as the lieutenant can't quite sit right and the captain is practically dead on his feet. We sit there for a moment longer and he looks at us expectantly. “Well? Go on. You have until the lights dim.”

 

I'm the first to rise and sprint out of the dining area and to my room. I pull my jacket on quickly and follow the maze of corridors out into the front door. I breath the fresh air—well, as fresh as you can get, since we haven't had new air since the fans stopped working—and set off. I already know where my feet are taking me.

 

“Excuse me, you are Cadet Lovino Vargas, correct?” I stop and turn around to see a man with long blond hair and a red uniform. He's got a French accent, too, and I wonder if he's related to the President. I nod in affirmation and he smiles. “Ah, Captain Adnan had informed us today would be your day off. President Bellamy would like to see you. Personally.” He links our arms, to which I squirm. He's got a death grip, though, and every time I struggle he holds tighter.

 

The President's house is a magnificent thing, with balconies and clean windows. My house was large, but definitely not as big as the building before me. Before long, we've arrived to the lobby, complete with large staircases and red carpet. I see other cadets from my class patrolling the halls as I'm led to where I assume Bellamy is.

 

We stop in front of a large wooden door. He knocks on it and a call of, 'Come in' is heard. He opens the door and blows me a kiss. My gaze turns murderous, but he shoves me in and closes the door quickly. I slowly turn around to see the President, whose shoulder-length blonde hair is styled to perfection, not a single hair our of place. Her gaze is cold but amused, like she's just been sent a new toy to play with.

 

“Come and sit down, Lovino. We've much to talk about.” Her happy tone almost scares me. I step forward and sit in a chair in front the mahogany desk to which she is behind. Her ring-clad fingers rap on the table, and I catch a glimpse of the French coat of arms. “Would you like some tea?” I shake my head. “Biscuits?”

 

“I ate before I came here, thank you.” My polite tone is forced. “I believe you said we had things to discuss. If you don't mind, I'd like to make this quick. I do have a family.” She laughs and takes a sip from her cup.

 

“I like you. Straight to the point. You would've made a good soldier.” My mind flashes back to the very same words Captain Adan had told me. “Yes, I know you have a family. They're a very nice bunch, really. It's a shame about your brother. He could've been great, greater than you, Lovino. He follows orders and doesn't defy authority. You, on the other hand...well, you would make a good soldier. You just need to be taught to keep your mouth shut.” She pauses and examines her rings. “Unfortunately, with Feliciano's mental deficiency, he won't be able to do that. We don't need artists here. The proper procedure it to kill him--” I clench the arms of my chair a little harder. “--but we can't just execute someone with a powerful family! Where would we get with that?” She looks at me, expecting me to answer. “Well?”

 

“Nowhere.” President Bellamy smiles and nods.

 

“Exactly. If we did that, what would stop the other families from becoming angry? No, we can't have that. Executing people of power doesn't do any good. But...poor people, they can be killed.” My eyes widen and my hand almost flies up to my chest to touch the cross. “No one would notice. We don't need them, Lovino. They ruin the system. They don't help us. They take up valuable space.” She glances at the visible piece of string from the necklace. “Now, what if someone like you were to befriend a poor person? What would stop other people from doing the same? What would stop the system from collapsing? We have social classes for a reason. They keep people in their place.” My blood is racing in terror. She knows, she knows and Antonio's probably dead.

 

“Why are you telling me this? Even you know that by next week I'll be dead, probably by one of your men so I don't tell anyone about the Above. You can't scare me, President Bellamy. A dying man has nothing to lose.” I have to keep my head, though. I can't show her how truly terrified I am right now.

 

“Oh, Lovino. You're so wise for only being a child.” She sighs. “Why would I kill you? I already said you would make a good soldier. No, I won't kill you.” She gives me another smile, though this one is chilling. “You will be my _example._ An example of what happens to people who think that they have a chance to change something.” We sit in silence for a few moments before she finally speaks again. “That is all, Cadet Vargas. You may go. Please shut the door behind you.” I rise slowly and push the chair back in. I'm about to exit when her voice rings out again. “And cadet?”

 

“Yes?” I turn to face her.

 

“Tell your green-eyed friend that if he steps out of the Sewers again, he won't live to see another day.”

 

* * *

 

 

My boots splash in the muddy water as I sprint through the Sewers. I reach the tent shortly. “Antonio?” I whisper. The plastic rustles and he pokes his head out. The minute he sees me, his face lights up. For a minute, I forget about the President's death threat and all I can see is the green eyes that have haunted my dreams. But I can't forget all too easily, and my tone becomes urgent. “Antonio, you're such a dumb ass.”

 

“What do you mean?” He crawls out of the plastic.

 

“Why did you go to the ceremony?” He rubs the back of his neck and looks sheepish.

 

“I couldn't handle the thought of not seeing you again. So I went. But I didn't get caught, I swear!” He's giving me this stupid look and I'm almost not mad at him.

 

“I just talked with President Bellamy. She told me to tell you that if you step outside the Sewers again, she'll have you killed. God, she told me that she's not even going to kill me when I go to the Above. She's going to keep me as an 'example.'” I sit down next to him. “I'm so scared, Antonio.” He takes my hand and laces our fingers together.

 

“Let's run away.” I jerk my head to look at him in surprise. “We could do it, Lovi! I know we can. It wouldn't be hard. We'd take the book and leave this all behind.” I scoff. “I'm serious. You know that this place doesn't have anything for us. We could take Feli, too. Anyone you want. I just want to spend the rest of my life with you because I can't imagine doing anything without you.” God, now I'm actually considering it. “Please.”

 

“We don't even know how to get out, Antonio!” He holds up the book and nods. “You're kidding. It's in there?”

 

“Everything's in here. Come on, we could do it.” I glance from the book up to him.

 

“Fine.” He smiles and kisses me, which gives me this really wonderful feeling. I agree with him. It would be amazing, spending the rest of my life with Antonio.

 

But the creeping thought that President Bellamy knew about Antonio makes me think that this plan won't last long.

 


	3. Paintings and Dinners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I stand in front of the small mirror in my room. My thumb runs over his cross, over and over again. His words about his God come back to me. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have something to believe in. I sigh and continue dressing. I finish and head down to the dining room for what will be the last time. We leave tomorrow, and we will receive dinner tonight at the President's house. I hear it's a grand ordeal, complete with several courses and even meat.
> 
> A dying man's meal, I suppose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3! Hope you guys like it, reviews are appreciated!

I blink my eyes open slowly and try to figure out where I am. It smells terrible, as a whole, but the figure next to me is surprisingly pleasant to take in—I must be in the Sewers. Did we fall asleep? It's a satisfactory feeling, waking up and seeing Antonio beside me. It really does make me want to run away, but I can't help but feel that Bellamy knows what we're going to try and do.

 

“Lovi?” Antonio asks sleepily. I turn to him and see him blearily blink the sleep out of his eyes. “What time is it?” I look around. The lights are still on, but there's no way of telling the exact time. I shrug and slowly stand up.

 

“I should leave,” I whisper. He nods and I lean down to press another kiss to his lips. We break apart and Antonio wears a serene expression on his face.

 

“When should we meet again? We still have to plan.” I glance around warily. I can't shake off the premonition that we won't be able to follow through with this. I have to indulge him, though, because he has such a hopeful look on his face.

 

“They'll probably give us another day off, I think. We're supposed to leave this week, so....” I trail off. Antonio hums and I look at him for a moment longer before turning around and leaving him behind.

 

* * *

 

 

I look up at my former home and take a deep breath. The place is huge, though not as big as the President's home. It has two stories, though, which is rare, even for those with a higher social status. The windows are large but slightly dirty, and the house has an older look to it. Most would covet things like this.

 

I hate it.

 

I walk up the steps to the front door and ring the bell hesitantly. I stand and wait for a few seconds longer before the door is opened, by none other than Feliciano. He smiles brightly and gives me a bone crushing hug. I smile and hug him back. We exchange the standard Italian greeting—kissing each other's cheeks. He then lets me in and shuts the door behind me.

 

“Fratello! Come sta?” He's bouncing around wildly and I almost laugh.

 

“Molto bene, Feliciano. E tù?” These formalities continue for a bit until my tongue grows tired of speaking our language. It's terrible, that my mother tongue feels foreign after only a couple of years without speaking it. Our conversation soon switches to English.

 

“How's your politician training been going, Feli?” His smile fades a bit. I always knew that he _hated_ studying things like this and would much rather be an artist. He answers anyways, though, however disinterested he may be.

 

“It's...okay. It's confusing and it talks a lot about job positions and the need to keep people within their social caste.” Feliciano prattles on about this for a bit. I can tell that it hasn't brainwashed him, fortunately. 

 

“Have you painted anything new?” I ask. His eyes light up again and he grabs my hand to lead me up to his room. He opens his door to his large windowed room and rushes to uncover the canvas in the center of the room. Usually, these materials would be difficult to find—but, with our status, we get only the best. 

 

“I painted this! I had a dream about it and it was so pretty that I just had to try and do it.” Feliciano steps away to reveal the canvas, and my eyes widen at the scene before me.

 

There are huge brick buildings, and they're pretty white things, not the dirty houses we have here. The roads are brick, also, but there are several...streams? We don't have any natural water here, the kind that flows freely and has life within it. Skinny wooden things glide on the top of the water, and a person stands at the front, while two more sit in the back. The sky, though, is something I recognize, as Antonio's book had an illustration. The sun is beautiful, and it seems to vanish behind the hills, casting a soft orange glow onto the buildings and streets.

 

“You said you..dreamt about this?” Feliciano nods. “It's beautiful, Feli. But how did you come up with this stuff? The Underground doesn't look like this.” He looks confused for a moment but shrugs.

 

“I don't know. People dream weird things. Do you wanna know what I called it?” He looks at me but continues anyways. “ _Venice._ It's a pretty name, right?” 

 

“Yes. It is. Um, Feliciano?” He turns to me with a questioning look. I usually only call him by his nickname, unless it's something urgent.

 

“I...we leave at the end of this week. To the Above. This may be...it might be the last time I see you,” I whisper. The nest thing I know I'm in another bone crushing hug.

 

“Oh, fratello,” he sobs. “I'll miss you so much.” 

 

“Goddamnit, Feliciano,” I say, but I can feel the tears falling anyways. As much as I tried to tell Antonio that I hated my brother, I don't. He's one of the only people that I can actually tolerate.

 

“Ti amo, Lovi,” he murmurs once he calms down. Feliciano pulls out of the hug and looks at me with still watery eyes. “I do, I really really do. I don't know what I'll do if you...” He trails off.

 

“I love you too, Feli.”

* * *

 

 

It turns out that we wouldn't have anymore days off. In fact, it seems as if we're being controlled even further. I find Lieutenant Karpusi looking at me more and more frequently, and Captain Adnan makes it a point to supervise my final training. I barely have any time alone anymore, and when I do, I'm worrying myself sick about Antonio. 

 

I am now as I stand in front of the small mirror in my room. My thumb runs over his cross, over and over again. His words about his God come back to me. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have something to believe in. I sigh and continue dressing. I finish and head down to the dining room for what will be the last time. We leave tomorrow, and we will receive dinner tonight at the President's house. I hear it's a grand ordeal, complete with several courses and even meat.

 

A dying man's meal, I suppose.

 

I reach the dining room and greet Eva and Matthew. I'm almost certain that they have feelings for each other. It wouldn't be surprising, since their personalities are so similar. Our breakfast is a bit measly, but since today is our final testing, they probably don't want us throwing it all up. Sometimes I'm not exactly sure what all this miscellaneous training is for. They're sending us out to kill us, after all, to teach everyone that the Above is unwelcoming. Although I suppose, since Bellamy told me that I will be an example, that I might come back here alive. 

 

Captain Adnan and Lieutenant Karpusi arrive shortly after I do, and we all eat in relative silence. I'm not all that hungry, though, so I end up pushing my watery oatmeal around with my spoon. My mind worries about Antonio, but a small part of me is still stuck on the painting Feli showed me a few days ago. How would he know that the sky would like that? Our 'sky' is just a black cavern. No 'stars' or 'clouds.' And why did the word ' Venice' sound so  _ familiar _ ? I push these thoughts out of my mind, though, as it looks like our captain is about to give us the day's directions.

 

“So today is your final day. You will go through the proper testing to measure your projected ability to be able to survive up there. If you finish early, you are instructed to go and meet with your family and change into relatively nice clothing, as we will be eating with President Bellamy tonight. After we are done, make sure to get plenty of sleep. Then we will leave. Any questions?” We shake our heads. “Good.” We stand up from the table and exit to the training room.

 

About three hours later, I finally finish my testing. My body feels impossibly sore. I grab my uniform coat from my room and exit, heading towards my house. I yearn to visit Antonio, but I'm afraid that if I go, I'll get in real trouble—or worse, Antonio will get in trouble. I still haven't really sorted out my feelings for him. Sure, we've kissed multiple times, but I don't know how to describe our relationship.

 

My tumultuous thoughts continue until I reach my front door. I knock on the door, but instead of Feliciano's face, my father's is the one that I see when the door swings open.

 

“Oh. It's _you_ ,” my father says with venom. I scoff and slip by him.

 

“What a way to greet your dying son,” I shoot back. I take my uniform off and hang it on the rack in the hallway. I turn back to see him a bit confused. Is he really that slow to not understand that no one makes it back alive? “What, father? You didn't know that I probably won't come back alive?” Well, that's a lie, because if Bellamy follows through with her promise, I'll make it back. I brush past him and walk into the kitchen where my brother and my mother stand, making what I presume will be their dinner. Feliciano turns around and rushes forward to hug me. 

 

“Ciao Lovi! We're making dinner right now! It's your favorite, actually, will you be joining us?” Feliciano has a tendency to talk very fast. My mother turns around and give me a tender smile. She reminds me of my grandfather, since they look so similar, but it hurts to think about him so I glance at Feli to give my answer.

 

“No, I'll be at the President's house for dinner tonight, unfortunately. I wish I could stay.” He's right, they are cooking my favorite, and the smell puts me at ease. Feli looks disappointed but I elbow him and crack a rare smile. “Hey, be glad that I'm here now. I don't have to leave for another couple of hours.” He smiles again and hooks our elbows together.

 

“Mama, is it okay if I talk with fratello? Are you okay with dinner?” She turns around again.

 

“Of course, patatino. Go ahead,” she replies affectionately. I almost laugh that she still calls Feliciano that. I remember always swatting at her when she said that, especially because it literally translates as 'little potato.' 

 

Feliciano tugs me away and up to his room. I'm not exactly sure what he wants to show me, as a couple of days is not nearly enough time to create a new painting. I'm wrong, I later see, because Feli shows me a smaller canvas. It's a portrait of the two of us, and the details are impeccable. 

 

“Wow, fratello. Wow,” I whisper. His smile becomes bigger—if that's even possible—and he hugs me again. He continues to show me various drawings in his sketchbook. Most of them are snapshots of daily life, but there are others like the painting he showed me days before. The amount of detail is astounding, especially because he says all of them are from his dreams.

 

Soon, though, it's time for me to leave. My father has already retreated into his study, but my mother gives me a soft and warm hug. Feliciano cries again and I almost have to tear him off of me.

 

“I'll miss you Lovino,” he sobs. I glance at my mother and see that she, too, is crying, albeit quieter than Feliciano at the moment. I detach Feli from my side, grab my coat, and exit my house for what feels like the last time.

 

My house and the President's house are relatively close to each other, and in no time at all I am being ushered in and led to what I presume is the dining room. There's not many people there yet, besides Matthew and Eva. I sit across from them and join in on their idle chatter. If my eyes aren't deceiving me, they're holding hands under the table. 

 

Soon, Captain Adnan and Lieutenant Karpusi join us, and we're all waiting for the President to come in. Adnan sits next to me, and he's awfully close to my side. He looks cleaner than he did this morning, but he seems lethargic also. It wouldn't surprise me if him and the lieutenant had a round before they came here, seeing as usually nobody comes back.

 

“Behave yourself,” his gravelly voice whispers into my ear. I turn to him and cock my eyebrow. He looks pretty serious.

 

Just to spite him, I whisper back, “I will if you do.” He laughs and Karpusi turns to him curiously. The captain is silenced, though, as the door opens and President Bellamy enters, flanked by two guards. She smiles, and her gaze suddenly lands on me. There's a glint in her eyes that tells me it will be hard to behave myself tonight.

 

The dinner starts out with a thick soup. It's almost like simple broth, but much tastier than anything I've ever had. I was definitely wrong in thinking the food my family is served was as tasty as it could get. The conversation is boring, really, as they talk about food shortages and things of that sort. The second course is an array of strange looking fruits. It seems ironic that they talk of running out of food when they are only served the finest. I spot a tomato and my stomach jerks painfully.

 

As the third course arrives—some type of meat, which is terribly hard to come by—the topic of the conversation turns to our departure tomorrow. My ears practically prick up and I try to raise my head nonchalantly.

 

“...I've heard that you'll be taking the upgraded masks, is that correct?” Bellamy questions. Her ringed fingers hold a dainty fork. It's a soft silver thing that is really only capable of taking miniscule bites. She takes the meat into her small mouth and chew slowly.

 

Her manners make me want to snap her neck.

 

“Yes, we just got them today. It's predicted that the polluted air is what hindered the success of the last mission,” Karpusi replies. I've found out quickly that he's very smart and often offers a different view to things. He still gives me a bad feeling, but I've grown to appreciate his insightful comments.

 

The President raises her glass of alcohol and takes a small sip. We've all got one, but I haven't touched mine. I've seen firsthand what it does to people, and to be honest, it scares me to the core. She sets her glass down and wipes at the corners of her mouth. I still want to suffocate her.

 

“That's good. I think it will really lift the spirits of the people if we succeed in this mission. It's very promising, since one of the best cadets we've had in years is on the team.” She turns to me and offers me a smile. “He'll be a great _example_ to our future cadets, don't you think?” It's a rhetorical question. No one dares to disagree. “What's your specialty, Lovino?”

 

“Throwing knives,” I reply. I'm trying to keep my tone cordial, but it doesn't sound like it's working. “But, if it's not too conceited to say, I excel in everything else.” The President laughs, and it's this horrid tinkling sound that gives me the urge to punch her windpipe in. 

 

Our plates are taken away by the several servants stationed around the edge of the room. They look familiar, somehow, but I can't place it. Our next course, a plate of arranged greens, is place in front of us. We weren't offered any water, and my mouth is getting painfully dry. I eye the glass in front of me but hesitate to take it.

 

“What, cadet? Have you never had alcohol before?” She's belittling me, I can tell, but her stare warns me to stay in line. 

 

“No, I haven't. I know what it does to you and I refuse to let that happen to me,” I reply. Our plates are taken away and replaced with a smaller one with a brown slice of cake upon it. 

 

“Oh, Lovino. So self-righteous.” Bellamy snaps one of her fingers and a servant steps forward. “Please get a glass of water for the young man.” He nods and exits the room. Shortly after, he returns with the glass of water and sets it beside my plate. I murmur a thanks and take a gulp. I can't wait for this night to be over.

 

Idle conversation picks up again. The dinner's over, and I'm mentally begging the captain to let us leave, but of course we have to stay until we are dismissed. 

 

“....Lovino would know, wouldn't you?” I jerk my head towards Bellamy.

 

“What?” Her expression looks a little impatient and when she speaks again, she sounds almost exasperated.

 

“I said, wouldn't you know the condition of the sewers? That's where your _lover_ is, correct?” My face is red, and I can feel the questioning stares of my fellow cadets. I refuse to answer, though. I will not give her that satisfaction. “Cadet Vargas, I asked you a question.”

 

“I acknowledge that you have asked me a question, and I am electing not to answer. Have a good night, Mrs. President.” I stand up, toppling the chair I was sitting in over. I grab my coat from the servant holding all of them and stalk out.

 

The lights are dimming already. My blood is boiling and I'm contemplating on going back there and slitting her throat with her stupid dainty knife. I'm actually about to, but a voice stops me.

 

“Lovi!” I whip around. There he is, the green-eyed devil that I've spent every night dreaming about. He's got a backpack and a heavy coat on. 

 

“What are you doing here?” He steps up to me and gives me a wide grin.

 

“We're running away. Go grab some stuff from your place and we'll go.” I'm about to protest, but he softly grabs my face with his palm. “Please,” he murmurs. I nod after a moment of hesitation and lead him to the Scout headquarters.

 

Minutes later, I have a backpack and two of the upgraded masks. He grabs my hand and laces our fingers together. He should be glad that the darkening lights conceal us, or we would've been caught by now. I have no idea where he's leading me, either, as we've enter the part of the Underground that I've never been to.

 

“You know where we're going, right? Because I swear if I find out you have no idea I will literally beat your ass.” Antonio smiles and gives me hand a squeeze.

 

“It'll be a few more minutes,” he replies. I trust him, I really do. I let him lead me until we suddenly stop at a rickety staircase. He starts to go forward, but a familiar voice sounds behind me.

 

“Cadet Vargas, what a pleasure to find you here with your...friend.” I turn around to see the blonde-haired Royal Guard from the other day. “It's unfortunate that I will have to do this.” Several other cadets surge forward. I wildly turn to Antonio.

 

The last thing I see before I black out are his green eyes sliding closed.

 


	4. Fresh Air and a Dry Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “This used to be a city that floated on water, but something happened and all the water dried up. It was the last place to be affected by the war, which is why the Underground was built here.”
> 
> "What...what was that city called?"
> 
> "Venice."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the delay. I have had the worst writer's block ever and it was really hard to finish this. Because of that, it's a bit shorter than I would've liked it. Hey, it's better than nothing, right? A lot of stuff happens in a short amount of time, but I think some stuff from previous chapter might start to make sense towards the end. Thank you for reading, reviews are greatly appreciated!

My first thought as I open my eyes is that I'm not being tortured. In fact, my surroundings seem relatively safe and comforting, unlike the stiffness of the President's house. I'm laying down, unconstrained, in a soft bed with worn cloth quilts. The room is small, but filled to the brim with pictures that I can't make out with my still-adjusting eyes. I sit up slowly against the soft pillows and rub my aching head as I struggle to figure out where I am.

 

The wooden door swings open to reveal a familiar face—Captain Beilschmidt, in casual clothes. My confusion must be plain on my face because he immediately starts to speak after shutting the door behind him. “You're safe, kid. Although I really wish that you wouldn't have tried that little runaway stunt, but hey, at your age I would've done the same thing.”

 

“What the fuck is going on?” I demand. He laughs, a weird thing that the cadets used to make fun of during training.

 

“For a 14 year-old, you've sure got a dirty mouth.” The captain sighs and sits on the edge of the bed. “I'm sorry about Francis. He likes to display power. He was just supposed to find you and bring you back, but...well, he got carried away.”

 

“You think?” He gives me a warning glare. “Sorry.”

 

“Anyways, a couple of the soldiers—me, Franny, my brother, Sadiq, Heracles, other higher-ups—we're apart of an underground group-” I snort at the word 'underground'. “Yeah, yeah, very funny. But we're part of a group that's looking to expose President Bellamy and get us all out of this hell hole. We're looking to recruit you.” I look at him for a second in disbelief. But the more I think about it, actually, it does seem...almost obvious.

 

“Where is he? I want to know where he is first before doing anything.” Captain Beilschmidt smiles and nods, which is weird. Normally during training, he was a smart ass and almost never this nice. He seems awful nice now, which makes me think that something else might be up with this 'group'.

 

“Your... _friend,_ or whatever you want to call him, is in the room next door. Before you see him, though...we need to know if you're on our side.” I eye him for a few seconds. If this group is legitimate, this could mean freedom—not just for me and Antonio, but even my brother. It's too tempting to turn down, but the prospect of being sold out makes me on edge.

 

“Fine.” But I have to see Antonio, no matter what.

 

He nods and waits for me to get out of the bed before escorting me to Antonio's room. The door swings open and he glances up before smiling hugely. I offer one of my own small ones and hesitantly walk forward. Captain Beilschmidt is still behind me.

 

“Are you hurt?” I whisper urgently. He shakes his head and reaches his hand up to cup my face.

 

“I'm so glad you're okay,” he murmurs. “I was so worried.”

 

“You worry about the dumbest things sometimes.” I straighten up and turn around to the captain. He seems to be looking at us almost expectantly, as if he was waiting for us to jump each other right then and there. Asshole. “Toni, this is Captain Beilschmidt. He's...well, I guess you could say he's okay.”

 

“I know who he is.” I turn to him in surprise, but remember that he attended the graduation ceremony. There wouldn't be any other way they would know each other. Right?

 

“Enough chit chat. We're on a very tight schedule. We're having a debriefing lunch in the dining room and then we're leaving.” He says this very authoritatively and then turns on his heel to walk out. Antonio looks at me with raised eyebrows and suppresses a giggle.

 

“Are you ready to go?” He nods and I help him slowly get out of bed. Soon we're walking through the captain's grand house. It's large, with two stories at least. Most houses are laid out the same way, and I find it easy to locate the dining room. There, to my surprise, are Matthew and Eva. I smile and they wave timidly, probably a little anxious in their new surroundings. They're still holding hands under the table, and that's when I notice that my fingers are latched with Antonio's. I blush slightly but continue holding his hand.

 

My fingers were cold, okay?

 

We take a seat across from Matthew and Eva. I introduce Antonio to them and they continue to talk cordially. I gaze around the room and notice that Captain Adnan is here but Lieutenant Karpusi is not. Other cadets are here, but my attention is diverted when the door opens again and the blond haired cadet that knocked me out last night enters.

 

I stand up abruptly. “Hey, asshole,” I call. Surprisingly, he actually turns around. “Do you have a fucking complex or do you just knock people out for fun?” I feel Antonio's hand on mine but I lift it up. I'm royally pissed.

 

“Cadet, I had to do that or else it would've been suspicious. The cadets that were with me weren't ours, and I had to do something. You should be thanking me. If I had done it any other way, you'd be in Bellamy's basement, getting tortured as we speak,” He calmly explains. I glare at him for a couple of seconds before lowering my gaze.

 

“Whatever,” I mumble as I sit back down. Antonio grabs my hand again under the table and soothingly runs his thumb over the back of my hand.

 

“It's okay,” he whispers. “I was pretty mad when I saw him too.” I snort.

 

“But you didn't stand up and contemplate killing him.” He laughs and nods.

 

“I guess that's where were different.” He looks down for a moment and adds, “Almost.” I look curiously at his melancholic face and open my mouth to ask, but Cadet Asshole—at least, what I've dubbed him for now—steps behind us.

 

“And who is this?” My eye twitches and I slowly turn around, separating my hand from Antonio's in the process.

 

“This is Antonio,” I say shortly. I notice the glasses of water on the table and take a sip to occupy my big mouth.

 

“What's your relationship? Are you friends, or...?” Before I can swallow my water, Antonio answers.

 

“We fuck each other on the weekends,” He whispers very seriously. I choke on my water and slam my hand on the table. Antonio is laughing very loudly at my reaction and I can't help but join in. It's moments like these that I wish things were different.

 

But they aren't, and I can do almost nothing to change that except make to make sure that he makes it out of this hell alive.

 

Later, the table is finally filled and we begin lunch. They're just sandwiches, apparently made by Captain Beilschmidt's younger brother. They're good, but I won't admit that openly. Thankfully, there's no alcohol this time.

 

Antonio's leg brushes up against mine. I look at him only to see him innocently looking back. I roll my eyes and nudge his leg with my own. Out of the corner of my eyes, I see him smile. A small one works itself onto my face, also, until everyone is looking at me strangely. I take a bite of my food and look around.

 

“What?” Beilschmidt and Adnan look at each other and then back to me.

 

“You laughed _and_ smiled today. Is there something wrong?” Eva voices everyone's thoughts.

 

“Am I not allowed to? Jesus,” I mutter. Antonio is smiling extra big now, since he knows he's the reason. Bastard.

 

Our somewhat pleasant meal is interrupted by another blond cadet rushing into the room. His hair is shorter, though, and he wears thin glasses that frame his shockingly blue eyes. He looks familiar, but I can't place it.

 

“Captain,” he huffs. “She knows. The President knows and we need to leave now.” The room is silent before he turns to look at everyone else. “Well? We need to go!”

 

Things suddenly turn hectic and I struggle to hold on to Antonio. I run up to our rooms and grab the packs that we had last night before rushing to the front door, where Captain Beilschmidt is already waiting. We wait for what seems like an eternity for everyone to gather before rushing out and toward the place that Antonio was taking me the night before. The house is closer than I thought, and we're already there in a matter of minutes. We're not fast enough, though, and I can see several of Bellamy's guards rushing after us. We race up the staircase and into the metal door at the top of them. We enter another staircase, thought this one is concrete and disgusting.

 

Somehow, Antonio and I have made it to the back of the pack. We're halfway up the stairs when the door behind us opens. We're close, so close, but they're gaining on us.

 

“Masks on!” Beilschmidt yells from the front. I make sure Antonio has his on before securing mine. The door at the surface opens and I take my first breath of fresh air through the mask. The Above is so close, and before I know it, my feet are sinking into soft soil. I whip around to see soldiers filtering out. They don't have masks, though, and their lungs aren't used to such fresh air, and soon they're coughing and passing out.

 

The rest of the group works on dragging the bodies back into the staircase and shutting the door. I turn around and gaze at all the things that Antonio and I talked about—the huge blue sky and the beating sun and the trees. I'm actually slightly surprised; we were told that everything was obliterated, but it doesn't seem that way. I hear Antonio stand beside me and I feel him intertwine his fingers with mine.

 

“This is everything we dreamed about,” I whisper. He nods. I feel relieved that I'm finally here, with the boy that I possibly love. Something doesn't seem right, though, and all I can think of is white stone and a bridge over a stream of water. I finally connect it to my brother's painting, and the air rushes out of my lungs.

 

“Do we know where we are?” I call back. Captain Beilschmidt comes up and shows me a very old map, maybe from the time before the Great War.

 

“Yes, actually. We're in Italy.” My heart clenches. “This used to be a city that floated on water, but something happened and all the water dried up. It was the last place to be affected by the war, which is why the Underground was built here.”

 

“What...what was that city called?”

 

“Venice.”

 

The cross necklace feels heavy on my chest.

 


End file.
